Over 1,50,000 applicants sign up for 2018 World Cup volunteer programme

Moscow, Nov 21 (IANS) More than 1,50,000 people have applied to participate in the volunteer programme for the 2018 football World Cup in Russia, the press service of the Russia 2018 Organising Committee said on Monday.

"A total of 150,000 applications from the candidates willing to be volunteers - that's an impressive figure, which shows the great importance of the World Cup of the Confederations Cup for everyone who wants to spend these tournaments at the highest level," said Russia 2018 Organising Committee chairman Vitaly Mutko on Monday, reports Tass.

"This applies not only to citizens of Russia, but also all those who want to come to us in 2017 and 2018. It is good to see such enthusiasm and realise that so many enterprising, ambitious and self-motivated people want to take part in organising the Confederations Cup and the World Cup. A lot of work in store for all of us, and we will prove that Russia can be rightfully proud of its volunteer movement."

The 2018 World Cup and the 2017 Confederations Cup Volunteer Recruitment campaign was launched at a solemn ceremony in Moscow on June 1, 2016, by Russian President Vladimir Putin and global football body FIFA President Gianni Infantino.

The most popular cities where the potential volunteers would like to help the organisers are Moscow, St. Petersburg, Sochi, Rostov-on-Don and Kazan.

Of these candidates 60% are women while 80% of applications came from candidates aged between 16 and 25. The age of 16% of candidates is from 26 to 40 years, while the rest are aged 41 and older. Nearly one-third of the candidates (30%) submitted their bids from 189 countries.

One can apply for volunteer work at the 2017 Confederations Cup and the 2018 World Cup until the end of this year on FIFA's official website.

The 2017 Confederations Cup will be held in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Sochi and Kazan from June 17 to July 2.

The 2018 World Cup will be held from June 14 to July 15 at 12 stadiums in 11 cities of Russia, including Moscow, St. Petersburg, Kazan, Volgograd, Yekaterinburg and Sochi.